


More Than You Can Hold

by adiwriting



Series: My Wish [2]
Category: Glee
Genre: Homophobia, Homophobic Language, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, References to Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-02
Updated: 2013-06-02
Packaged: 2017-12-13 18:06:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/827242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adiwriting/pseuds/adiwriting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He had re-read it at least a hundred times by now, but he still couldn’t make the words on the paper make sense to him. Because really, how dare those women take a stand against gay bullying now? Now that their token gay boys were gone. Now that they could be supportive while not having to physically see two boys together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	More Than You Can Hold

Blaine sat at his desk, only half listening as Kurt lectured him about the negative effects of 2-n-1 Shampoo and Conditioner over Skype. Usually, he watched attentively when Kurt was ranting. His eyes were always a perfect blend of bitchiness and fondness, and his cheeks got insanely red… But he couldn’t bother being turned on by his incredibly sexy boyfriend at the moment. Not when his invitation for _that_ had just come in the mail.

 

**The Worthington Women’s Club**  
requests the pleasure of your company at the  
Second Annual Aaron Baker Candlelit Gala  
for the benefit of  
The Trevor Project  
Friday, the twentieth of May  
Reception at seven o’clock  
Dinner at eight o’clock  
The Columbus Museum of Art  
Derby Court  
Columbus, Ohio  
Black tie  
Music Provided by  
The Supertonic String Quartet  
With special performance by Alexis Baker

 

 _B,_  
Know these are incredibly ostentatious, but you have to come. You know he would have wanted it. ~~Besides, if you leave me alone at this stupid thing I’ll never talk to you again.~~  
–Lex  
 ~~P.S. Apparently I’m singing at this thing? WTF?!~~  
P.P.S. A lady of my “class” does not talk like that. I apologize Mr. Anderson. Sincerely, Alexis Marie Baker

He had re-read it at least a hundred times by now, but he still couldn’t make the words on the paper make sense to him. Because really, how dare those women take a stand against gay bullying now? Now that their token gay boys were gone. Now that they could be supportive while not having to physically see two boys together. Yes, it was acceptable to help out “the gays” so long as they didn’t have to do more than sign a check. God forbid they take a stand when the gay kid is coming home crying from school. God forbid anyone give a damn when the only two gay boys in town ended up in the hospital. And those following two months before Aaron had taken his own life? Where was all this gay-bullying/suicide awareness then?

More than anything he wanted to tear the invitation up and throw it in the trash where it belonged—expensive cardstock, purple ribbon, metal hearts and all. But he cared about the Bakers too much to do that. After all, they had been nothing but supportive of him since they had met. And they deserved more from him than to be left alone with the Stepfords of Worthington.

“You have curls, Blaine. _Curls_. If you would just use the proper curl intensifying conditioner like I told you to, your hair wouldn’t be so frizzy. Imagine the money you’d save on hair gel. That crap dries your hair out; it doesn’t have nearly enough moisturizer in it. Your poor, beautiful hair,” Kurt continued on.

It might not be too bad, Blaine told himself. Lexi was good for a laugh. And Mrs. Baker could always be trusted to tell off at least one of those obnoxious Worthington women in a verbal slandering that would put Santana and Kurt to shame. And at some point Mr. Donahue would get drunk and try to make out with a waitress and everyone would get treated to their own episode of Cheaters.

“Is it because they don’t sell proper hair products at that poor excuse for a pharmacy at school? I’ll buy you the right conditioner. Paul Mitchell makes this one…”

But Blaine hadn’t forgotten last year when Dylan Cooper had called him a fag (at an anti-bullying gala no less) and five minutes later his father had asked him why he could not be more athletic like Dylan. He hadn’t forgotten how those women had paraded him around like he was their new favorite toy, talking to him about Broadway musicals, American Idol, and fashion. Because that’s all being gay really was. Having good taste.

“And then I met Katy Perry and she offered me a ride on her pet unicorn and we took it to Mars where we opened up an all-male version of Wicked. I played Glinda and Elphaba because I’m simply too amazing for one role to contain me, and that way I didn’t have to share any of the good parts,” Kurt said, glaring at him through the screen but Blaine was too busy looking at the invitation to notice.

“Sounds good, babe,” he mumbled.

“William Blaine Anderson!”

Blaine instantly looked up, guilt written all over his face. Kurt had clearly caught him not paying attention.

“I get that you don’t rate proper hair care as a priority like I do, but you could at least listen to me.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just tired. I think I’m going to go to bed,” he lied. He didn’t have the energy to talk to anyone.

“It’s six o’clock!”

“Oh,” Blaine said with a shrug, looking at his watch. “Oh! Crap, Wes is going to kill me. We are supposed to be meeting right now to talk about council elections next year.”

“You’re missing a Warbler meeting?” Kurt looked at him, concerned. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he said quickly. He did not want to have to explain this. Not now. “Listen, I’ll call you later.”

“Blaine Anderson if you hang up on me I swear I will burn every pair of heinous jeans you own,” Kurt said shrilly.

“You love my jeans,” he said, trying is best to pull off a cocky smile. He needed to pull himself together.

“Seriously, sit down and talk to me.”

“I can’t right now, babe,” he said, feeling guilty at the hurt look Kurt was giving him. “I have to go meet Wes. I wasn’t lying about that. You know he considers tardiness the eighth deadly sin. I’ll call you tonight.”

“Blaine!” Kurt yelled.

“Eight o’clock sharp. Immediately after dinner.”

And before Kurt could get a word in edgewise, Blaine shut his laptop. He knew that he would have hell to pay later, but that was fine. He didn’t want to deal with Kurt right now. He was too much of a mess to even begin to explain anything. And he really was late for a meeting.

Damn, he was screwed.

Blaine quickly grabbed his blazer off of his bed and ran out of the room. Upon entering the practice room he was met with matching glares from both Wes and Thad.

“David, please note in the minutes that Junior Member Blaine Anderson is officially twelve minutes and forty-two seconds late,” Wes commented as the other Warblers gave him a sympathetic look. Nobody deserved to be on the receiving end of a Wes Montgomery bitch-out. Well, unless your name was Jeff and you believed it was appropriate behavior to sing Miley Cyrus as an audition song. And not even semi-respectable Miley, like ‘The Climb’ or ‘Party in the USA.’ No, Jeff had auditioned for his first solo with ‘Fly on the Wall.’ There was never an excuse for that.

“As we were saying,” Wes continued, pointedly looking everywhere but at Blaine. “Next week are council elections. Any Junior Member is eligible for the position. Mind you, this is not a popularity contest. Just because you may like somebody…” Wes shot a pointed look towards Nick and Jeff. “And you might think that they are funny when they make jokes during rehearsal.” Again, Wes stared specifically at Nick and Jeff. “Does not mean they are the best suited for such an important responsibility. The council is ultimately responsible for all song selections and choosing its soloists, as well as taking down the official minutes, planning rehearsal schedules and handling member funds.”

“Along with those responsibilities, it is a long standing tradition that no council member will be eligible for a solo, for the sake of fairness,” Thad continued on. Blaine often wondered if the two occupied the same brain. They could practically finish the other’s sentences. “So think before you vote. We all remember what happened two years ago…”

At Thad’s comment, every senior member looked directly at Blaine.

“What happened two years ago?” Nick whispered to him.

“Two years ago, our three strongest leads were elected into the council. Thus forcing the Warblers to be crushed by Vocal Adrenaline in sectionals.” Wes glowered at Blaine.

Blaine shifted awkwardly in his seat at the glares from everyone.

“How is this my fault, again?” Blaine asked quietly, afraid of the answer.

“Some of our current Warblers didn’t decide to audition in time for Sectionals like they were asked. Instead, they waited until two days after our sectional defeat to ask to join the Warblers,” Wes answered.

“Heaven forbid a guy want to get used to his new school before he decides on any after school activities,” Blaine said softly. Wes was one of his closest friends. But there were times, like today, where he got really intense and terrified Blaine.

“Said Warbler was recruited to this school specifically based off of a performance as Corny Collins that appeared briefly on YouTube. For said Warbler to turn down the honor of being in a club with such an upstanding reputation was insulting. After all the hard work that was put into getting him here.”

“Wes, I’m sorry,” Blaine said with a sigh. This was embarrassing; did Wes really have to do this in front of everyone? “Can we please not talk about this anymore? I’m here. I auditioned. I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me since then.”

“Except be on time,” Wes said quietly to his gavel. And there was the kicker; this was his punishment for being late. A public execution. Because Wes knew the one thing that would get to him most—public embarrassment.

“Dude this is making me falling asleep during rehearsal last month look like nothing,” Jeff said under his breath.

“No,” Thad said, harshly. “That still takes the cake.”

“Guys, let’s get back on track here,” David said, shooting Blaine an apologetic look. “I have a history paper to get to and I’m sure the rest of our members would appreciate making it out in time for dinner.”

“Yes, I think we are done here, voting begins on Monday,” Wes said, ending the meeting with a slam of his gavel. “Blaine, if you would stay after please.”

Great, Blaine thought, now comes the lecture.

“Wes, why don’t you go on to dinner. I’ll talk to Blaine,” David said.

“But—”

“Wesley. Dinner. Now,” David said, pushing him out of the room. “That kid sometimes…”

David waited until the room was empty before turning to look at him.

“Everything alright, man?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Sorry I was late. I lost track of time.”

“Is this about the fundraiser?” David asked.

In retrospect, it shouldn’t have come as a shock that David knew. He was dating Lexi after all. As vocal as she got when she was pissed off, David had to have heard his fair share about it.

“Don’t you mean the Aaron Baker Candlelit Gala?” Blaine said sarcastically. “No. Why do you say that?”

“Listen,” David said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I know it’s the last place you probably want to be. If it’s a quarter as bad as Lexi says, it’s gonna be pretty miserable. But she’s going to want you there. And as self-righteous as those people are, the Trevor Project is a very important cause.”

“I know,” Blaine said.

And didn’t that just make him feel that much worse? Here he was complaining about going to an event that supports gay teenagers. And so what if the other attendants were a bunch of hypocrites, they were still funding a very important cause. A cause that could have helped save his friend’s life if he had only known about it… If he had only let it…

No, now wasn’t the time to think about Aaron.

“If it makes you feel any better I’ll be there with you. And I’m sure if you ask Kurt, he’ll come too.”

“Kurt?” Blaine was snapped out of his thoughts at the mention of his boyfriend.

“Your boyfriend?” David teased. “I thought he’d be all over going to a black tie event.”

“Lexi is taking you?” Blaine said, still confused. They had never taken dates to these events before. Granted, he had never had a date _to_ take… but were they even allowed to bring people?

“Um… yes?” David said, looking at him as if he were crazy.

“She gets to take a guest?”

“Did you not get a plus one on your invite?”

Blaine hadn’t even looked at the RSVP card to see. Had they really included a plus one on his invitation?

“I can take Kurt,” he said in disbelief.

“Yes?”

“I can take Kurt,” Blaine said, a smile growing on his face.

Maybe this event didn’t have to be so bad. With Kurt there, at least he would have a shoulder to cry on when Anthony Harper tried to pin him down and put lipstick on him. He would be able to walk hand in hand with Kurt and let all those people know that they couldn’t touch him. Because as much as they put him down, there were still people that saw him as more than dirt. And really, the real reason he would bring Kurt, was that Kurt could be strong and brave when Blaine could not. After all, wasn’t Kurt the one that owned being named Prom Queen last week? Blaine would have just left the school and never looked back.

“Are you sure you’re alright, man?” David asked.

“I can take Kurt,” Blaine said with a dopey smile.

“Okay…” David laughed and began pushing him out of the room.

****

“It’s a black tie event, how hard can it be to find an outfit?” Blaine teased affectionately as he watched Kurt fumble through his closet on the screen of his phone.

He still couldn’t believe his mother had bought him an iPhone last week, specifically so he could FaceTime with Kurt. She had claimed it was because she was tired of hearing him complain about their long distance relationship, but he knew better. The gift fell far too close to the anniversary of Aaron’s death to be coincidence…

“I had my whole outfit planned last night. I was going to wear a black jacket with a shawl lapel because it’s black tie standard. I wanted to make sure that your dad likes me, so I didn’t want to stand out too much,” Kurt said, pulling out yet another dress shirt before frowning and putting it back. How Kurt managed to afford so many clothes when he only worked two days a week baffled Blaine.

“But?” Blaine said, knowingly.

“But I was thinking about it today at school and I realized it’s a fundraiser for the Trevor Project. I shouldn’t have to blend in at all. If we are really going to support the cause I should be allowed to give my outfit some flair. So then, I decided to go with a midnight blue with a peaked lapel. But that changed my bow-tie selection, which had me changing my cufflinks. And now I just can’t figure out if I should wear my Burberry Black Leather wristwatch or if I should go with that vintage pocket watch we found last weekend.”

“Only you,” he said with a fond smile.

“You think I’m crazy?” Kurt stopped rummaging through his closet long enough to look at Blaine. “Oh God, your parents are going to think I’m crazy! Your dad is going to think I’m too flamboyant and hate me immediately.”

“Stop,” he said. “I don’t think you’re crazy, you’re adorable. Wear the pocket watch, it’ll remind my dad of my grandpa and you’ll have something to talk about. You know, you might be the only person under the age of thirty who has this many options for a black tie event.”

“I keep trying to tell you to broaden your fashion horizons. You look good in a suit,” Kurt said with a wink.

Blaine rolled his eyes; Kurt was always trying to give him a makeover.

“I wear a uniform five days a week, I don’t need more clothes.”

“I have this white jacket with a shawl lapel, very old Hollywood. You’d look very Bogart…. Although I suppose white isn’t acceptable for black tie events. Pity,” Kurt said, with a cute frown.

Blaine wanted to kiss that frown right off his face. He was so cute when he was like this. Just open, honest and unguarded. Blaine wished they both didn’t have to suppress who they were so often.

“Are you going to get dressed and come get me so we have time to make out before?” Blaine teased. He noticed a faint blush come over Kurt.

“I’m having a fashion crisis and you’re worried about making out? Poor boyfriend etiquette,” Kurt responded, though it didn’t have quite the bite it was probably supposed to.

“If I didn’t make out with you any time a fashion crisis came up, we would never kiss, babe. Now, can you get here already? You look really hot with your hair like that and I may or may not be panicking about tonight. I’ve already called my mom twice to tell her I’m not coming.”

“You didn’t!” he said, looking scandalized. “Do you know how rare it is that I get the chance to dress up like this?”

“Just think, I could come over there. You could give me a fashion show. I would even let you make me over. I’d let you put that sticky gunk in my hair and dress me in any clothes you want…” He trailed off, only half-serious about blowing tonight off.

“It’s called mousse and it would do your hair good to allow it to move every once in awhile,” Kurt said with a teasing glare. “And don’t tempt me. Your family is expecting us and your friend needs you.”

“What time are you leaving?” Blaine asked, with a resigned sigh. The sooner they got this over with the better, as far as he was concerned.

“I just need to get dressed. I’ll leave in twenty minutes.”

“The event starts at seven,” Blaine said, pointedly. Kurt had a tendency to underestimate time and be late often. It was one of the reasons Kurt was consistently on Wes’s naughty list.

Yes, Blaine is friends with a guy that actually carries around naughty and nice lists containing the names of all the Warblers. Well the Warblers and Kurt, because according to Wes, Kurt was still an honorary member.

“I won’t be late,” Kurt said with an indignant look. “I’m leaving here in exactly twenty minutes.”

“Great. I’m going to get in the shower.”

“You’d better use that conditioner I just bought you!”

“Goodbye Kurt!”

****

“Wow,” Kurt said as they walked in, hand in hand. Blaine wasn’t about to let go, he was afraid Kurt would disappear on him and he would be left to do this alone. “Impressive.”

Blaine tried hard not to smile at Kurt’s look of wonder. He had to admit, the Columbus Museum of Art was a beautiful place for an event. The interior garden of Derby Court was lit up by the massive skylight above and hundreds of candles. Plus, it didn’t hurt that guests were allowed to walk around and look at some of the exhibits. Okay, look was probably not an accurate word. Hide was what he had done last year. Except that this year, he would be able to hide with Kurt. And possibly make out. Yes, if the way Kurt looked in that midnight blue jacket was anything to go on, this would not be a horrible night at all. Not if he could get Kurt away from all these obnoxious people.

“B, thank God!” He was suddenly enveloped in a tangle of arms and a mouthful of blonde hair as Lexi practically tackled him to the ground.

“Alexis,” Mrs. Cooper said as she walked by, appalled. “You’d think boarding school would teach those two class,” she mumbled under her breath. Blaine tried to pretend he hadn’t heard her. Of all the comments that would be made tonight, it was probably going to be the nicest.

“That pompous cow,” Lexi said, rolling her eyes. “She’s been on my case all day. You’d think she was my mother. I was tempted remind her that her son was one of the main reasons we even have to _have_ this event… Is this Kurt? Oh my God, he’s adorable!” She said, her glum expression suddenly changing.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Kurt said, hands in his pockets, unexpectedly shy. Blaine hadn’t seen Kurt like this since they first met. Since Kurt had first come to Dalton. It was such a strange contrast to the overly confident boy he’d gotten used to. The one who organized flash mobs to Barbara Streisand and totally rocked a t-shirt that said “Likes Boys” while dancing to Lady Gaga.

“You wore blue,” she said to him with a smile.

“Is that okay?” Kurt said, looking down at his outfit quickly. Panic beginning to set into his features. Blaine just squeezed his elbow, reassuringly.

“Can I keep him?” Lexi looked up at Blaine, with a big smile. “He’s hot!”

“I’m not sharing. Where’s _your_ boyfriend?” Blaine asked.

“Trying to score us champagne. I don’t think I’m going to get through this thing sober,” she said, giving Blaine a pointed look.

“Agreed,” he said, glancing around at all the familiar faces that filled the room. About half of Thomas Worthington’s junior class was present, which always boded well for Blaine. He could already make out Dylan Cooper and Ashley Hunter sneaking a joint in the back corner. Fabulous.

“You aren’t drinking,” Kurt said, giving Blaine a sharp look.

“What? Why not?” he asked. How did Kurt expect him to get through the night without a buzz?

“Need I remind you of one Rachel Berry incident?”

“You’re never going to let that go, are you?” Blaine said, ducking his head to hide his blush.

“Oh, gossip!” Lexi giggled. “Blaine never tells me the juicy stuff. Who’s Rachel Berry?”

“A girl Blaine made out with,” Kurt said, bitterly, giving him a disapproving look. “My _friend_ that Blaine made out with.”

“You kissed a girl?” Lexi looked at him, scandalized. “Did you like it?”

Lexi opened her mouth, but before she could start to sing, Blaine put his hand over her mouth.

“Do not start singing Katy Perry right now,” Blaine said with a playful glare at Lexi.

They fell into good-natured teasing for several minutes. Lexi had been his best friend since freshman year. Ever since he had quit soccer to join the school musical and Dylan had stopped talking to him and started calling him Fag-derson. And that had all been before he had even come out…

“He wore blue,” she said, face turning serious all of a sudden. They both shared a meaningful look. It was exactly the thing that Aaron would have done. What Blaine—circa winter 2009—would have done. It was exactly the “look at me, I’m gay and proud, screw you” kind of behavior that Blaine wished hadn’t been beaten out of him two years ago.

“Seriously, is that not okay?” Kurt asked. “I knew I should have worn the black…”

“You look fantastic,” Lexi said, giving Kurt’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Blaine smiled at the two, fondly. He had been so worried about introducing Kurt to his world. Worried about how his parents would take him being in a relationship… How Lexi would feel when he fell for somebody other than her brother? It was a relief to see her accepting Kurt so quickly.

“My parents are going to just die when they meet you,” she continued with a smile. “Blaine’s parents? Not so much.” She laughed.

“Oh, God.” Kurt’s face fell even more. Blaine could see he was panicking. If the way his eyes were darting around the room was any indication, he was looking for the quickest exit out. Blaine put his arm around his waist and pulled him close.

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” he asked. “You’re giving my boyfriend a complex.”

“Please,” she said, waving him off with a flick of her perfectly manicured hand. “Kurt, rule number one for these events: Do any and everything you can to piss people off. Mr. Anderson is top of that list.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Blaine said, trying to hide a smile. He was still remembering last year when his dad had purposefully asked Blaine why he wasn’t dating a nice girl like Lexi, in front of all of the Bakers, the Coopers, and the Donahues. Two seconds later found Lexi “accidentally” dropping a bowl of drawn butter in his father’s lap.

“What?” she asked, looking at him innocently. “If your dad thinks you need to act less obvious, I say show up in the most fabulous outfit you own. Admittedly, you’re dressing vicariously through Kurt because you don’t have fabulous clothes.”

Kurt snorted at that, causing Blaine to pinch him playfully in the side.

“And if all these fake bitches here want to act all _gay is okay_ after the shit they’ve done to you and my brother? Well I say shove your happiness in their face.”

“You didn’t mention that your friend was crazy,” Kurt whispered to him. But Blaine could tell he liked Lexi soley based on the fact that his voice carried none of the bitchiness a comment like that did when directed at, say, Rachel Berry.

“That’s because she’s been here with these women since this morning setting up, and she’s unfortunately still sober. Give her a few shots,” he whispered back, loud enough for Lexi to overhear and punch him in the arm.

“Or possibly a Xanax,” David said, coming up behind them and handing Lexi a glass of champagne. “Sorry, I didn’t know you two had arrived or I would have gotten you drinks as well.”

“It’s alright, I’m sure Mrs. O’Malley is here somewhere,” Blaine said, looking around for the familiar red hair. “She’ll usually supply me with something strong.”

“Only because she thinks you have a cute ass and that if she gets you drunk you might turn straight,” Lexi said, downing her glass in one gulp.

“Oh god, tell me you don’t make out with any of these women when you’re drunk,” Kurt said, fixing Blaine with his signature ‘Bitch, Please’ look.

****

“So this is Kurt,” his dad said, staring Kurt down with the most intimidating glare he could manage. Which Blaine had to admit was pretty intimidating.

“Yes, sir,” Blaine answered, clutching to Kurt’s hand tightly. He didn’t know who he was doing that for more, himself or Kurt.

“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Anderson,” Kurt said, voice low and deep. Blaine gave him an odd look. Why was he talking like that?

“You’re the boy that took my son to prom,” he said.

“Yes, sir,” Kurt said.

Again, why was Kurt’s voice doing that? Blaine wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Did Kurt think that speaking so deep like that was going to make his dad like him any more or less? Because, really, it’d be a miracle if Kurt made it out alive from this conversation. His dad was determined to hate Kurt on principle alone, it didn’t matter how “straight” he appeared.

This was probably all Lexi’s fault. She’d gone and given his boyfriend a complex. Oh well, it wasn’t like this new, deeper voice wasn’t hot. No, it reminded Blaine of the way Kurt would moan just before…

Well, he wasn’t going to think about that with his dad right here.

“So you are the boy that got named Prom Queen,” his dad said.

“Dad!” Blaine said, covering his face with his hands. He was mortified. He hadn’t expected this conversation to go well, but… damn. Had his father really needed to bring that up?

“Um… Yes, sir,” Kurt said, his voice getting higher as it got shakier, more unsure.

“Well, I’m sure that crown looked better on you than on any of those other girls,” his dad said.

Blaine couldn’t tell if his father was implying that Kurt looked more like a queen than any of the girls at McKinley, or if it was his way of complimenting Kurt’s strength. Oh god, Kurt was going to be so offended. He was going to get angry and leave and never talk to Blaine again.

“I… Thank you,” Kurt said, with a shaky laugh. Clearly Kurt wasn’t entirely sure how to take the comment either. But, like always, he wasn’t going to let it get him down. “The gold did clash with the silver I had on my jacket, but I feel I made it work.”

“You’re very brave,” his dad said, placing a firm hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “Just make sure you’re safe. That you are both safe.”

And with that his dad walked away and joined a group of his business associates.

“Did your dad just give me a lecture of safe sex?” Kurt said with a side-eyed glance over towards his dad.

“No, worse,” Blaine groaned.

Kurt looked at him curiously, waiting for him to continue.

“Now not only am I not as athletic as Dylan Cooper… Now I’m never going to be as brave as you,” he said. “He was basically telling you to take care of me, because clearly I’m in the girl in this relationship.”

“And this offends you because most people think I’m the girl,” Kurt asked, with an amused smirk.

“It offends me because neither of us is a girl.” Blaine gave him a pointed look.

“So does this mean your dad likes me?” Kurt asked.

“I have no idea.”

****

“And now, our very own Alexis Baker will sing ‘What Makes You Different,’ by the Backstreet Boys in honor of her brother, Aaron,” Mrs. Cooper said from the small stage up front.

“Oh God,” Blaine said and pretended to gag. “You aren’t.”

“No, I’m not,” Lexi said, downing another glass of champagne quickly and smirking at them. “And now for some fun. Excuse me,” she said, handing her empty glass to David and walking towards the stage.

“Do I even want to know what she’s doing?” Kurt asked.

“Probably not,” David said.

As the crowd applauded, the three boys shared nervous glances between each other.

“Exactly how much has she had to drink?” Blaine asked, carefully. He knew that of all the drunk archetypes, Lexi was definitely the angry drunk.

“Enough, but she’s been planning something all week,” David said, crossing his arms, anxiously. “She wouldn’t tell me what.”

“Hello.” Lexi took the microphone from Mrs. Cooper and flashed a fake smile at the crowd. “In honor of my brother, I’ve been asked to perform a song about embracing that which makes us different because that’s what makes us special. But that’s just really funny to me. Not because my brother hated the Backstreet Boys. He was more of a JT fan— not that I could blame him. Those curls, those eyes… ‘Dick in a Box?’”

“Oh God, make it stop,” Blaine said, closing his eyes. Beside him, Kurt was convulsing from trying so hard at containing his laughter.

“But it’s funny to me because not a single one of you actually embraced my brother for who he was. He was the most talented performer our school had ever had. He was kind and loving and a fierce dancer. But all any of you ever saw was gay. And you didn’t embrace that. You _still_ can’t embrace that. So, yes, thank you Mrs. Cooper for inviting me to sing a song for my brother. Because, you’re right, I do have a great voice and my brother _would_ have wanted me to sing. But if you don’t mind—Hell even if you do—I’m going to sing a more fitting song for an event trying to raise money for the Trevor Project.”

“I can’t tell if I want to cheer her on or pull her off the stage,” David said.

Blaine took a quick glance around the room. Every pair of eyes was currently watching Lexi in shock.

“Did any of you know she was going to do this?” Mrs. Baker asked, coming up behind them. They all shook their heads. Then again, it wasn’t entirely unprecedented. Lexi was a bit of a drama queen. She and Aaron both.

“The Trevor Project, contrary to what most of you think, isn’t just a ‘Down with the Gays’ Charity. It’s a charity preventing suicides amongst gay, lesbian, bi, transgender, and questioning youth. A charity that wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for amazing people like _you_.”

Lexi said the last bit with a bitter smile. Nobody in the room could have been stupid enough to think her last comment was meant as a compliment for all the money they had raised for the Trevor Project. No, it was clearly a dig at the fact that most of the people in the room had made some comment or another to Aaron that had driven him to take his own life.

“Enough with boring speeches, nobody ever likes ‘em anyway, am I right? Aaron, I love you and I miss you every single day. And I really wish you would have been able to see beyond this small bigoted ignorant town and stuck around. Because there’s a whole world out there beyond Worthington, Ohio, one that’s so so much better. This song is for you.”

_It must have been a place so dark, you couldn’t feel the light._

Lexi’s beautiful voice filled the otherwise silent room. Tony, the piano player, was staring at Lexi in shock. He clearly hadn’t been prepared to play a different song and didn’t know what to do.

Mrs. Cooper was trying to communicate to the sound crew to cut the microphone off, but they were purposefully ignoring her. Blaine had seen the rainbow pride bracelet on one of the men earlier in the evening; there was no way he was shutting Lexi’s mic off.

 _Reachin’ for you through that stormy cloud_  
Now here we are gathered in our little hometown  
This can’t be the way you meant to draw a crowd

As beautiful as she sounded, Blaine knew he couldn’t just sit there and let her perform all by herself. Not alone like that. Because having to face this crowd alone, it was more than anyone should have to take. So Blaine took a deep breath and pulled his hand away from Kurt’s.

Kurt gave him a questioning look. Blaine simply smiled and began walking towards the stage. He knew this song. It had come out barely a month before Aaron had died. And ever since then, Lexi and he had played it on repeat anytime they were feeling dramatic. Which, admittedly, was often.

 _Oh, why? That’s what I keep askin’_  
Was there anything I could have said or done?  
Oh, I had no clue you were masking  
A troubled soul, God only knows what went wrong  
And why you’d leave the stage in the middle of a song

Blaine pushed Tony out of the way and took over playing the piano just in time for the instrumental bridge. Lexi looked over at him and they both shared a shaky smile. This was what Aaron would have wanted. The two of them, coming together, for an honest moment. For honest awareness. It was their burden to educate this town. They couldn’t just keep on pretending anymore. Couldn’t just keep running to private school and pretend it wasn’t happening.

 _Now in my mind I keep you frozen as a seventeen year old_  
Roundin’ third to score the winning run  
You always played with passion no matter what the game  
When you took the stage, you shined just like the sun

Blaine closed his eyes, refusing to look out at what he was sure were death glares from his old classmates and their families. He took a steadying breath and joined Lexi in the chorus.

 _Oh, why? That’s what I keep askin’_  
And was there anything I could have said or done?  
Oh, I had no clue you were masking  
A troubled soul, oh, God only knows what went wrong  
And why you’d leave the stage in the middle of a song

Blaine opened his eyes to look at Lexi, who was surprisingly steady for a girl who had downed at least a bottle of champagne and was currently standing up to her brother’s old tormentors. Hell, her own tormentors. How many times had Lexi been picked on in school for being friends with the “Queen Anderson?”

 _Now the oak trees are swayin’ in the early autumn breeze_  
The golden sun is shining on my face  
The tangled thoughts I hear a mockingbird sing  
This old world really ain’t that bad a place

 _Oh, why? There’s no comprehending_  
And who am I to try to judge or explain?  
Oh, but I do have one burning question  
Who told you life wasn’t worth the fight?

Blaine couldn’t help but cry as Lexi belted out two years worth of pain. As she fought back in the only way any of them knew how, in song. In a stunning performance that would surely have won her a Grammy had it been on television.

 _They were wrong_  
They lied  
And now you’re gone  
And we cried  
‘Cause it’s not like you  
To walk away in the middle of a song  
Your beautiful song  
Your absolutely beautiful song

****

“This is your son’s fault!” Mrs. Cooper screamed, storming over to where Blaine was standing with Kurt and his family. “Coming in here and tainting things with his—”

“Gayness?” William Anderson finished for her, forcefully pulling Blaine and Kurt behind him. Mrs. Cooper looked ready to murder them both. In her eyes, the entire evening had been ruined in one song. Though how any of this involved Kurt, Blaine was unsure.

“Go ahead and say it, Mary,” his dad said, a challenge in his voice Blaine rarely heard. “We both know that’s what you mean.”

“Your son must have planned this. He clearly knew the song well, the brats probably practiced it together,” she said, pointing her finger at them, threateningly.

“So what if they did?” his dad said. “You can sit here and throw these events and pretend to be a progressive thinker. You can throw fundraisers and vote democrat… but at the end of the day we both know you’re just a simple-minded small town bigot from Louisiana. You donate to inner city schools while telling your son he can’t date a black girl. You hire Hispanics to work for you but protest one moving onto your street. And you have the audacity to throw a fundraiser for the Trevor Project while still talking about my son like he’s less than human.”

“How dare you!” she screamed, pulling back her hand and slapping his dad across the face.

By this point, Blaine was sure he had drawn blood; his nails were digging into Kurt’s hand so hard. But Kurt wasn’t complaining, nor had he tried to pull away. They were both too shocked to do much of anything.

“No! How dare you!” He yelled back, physically pushing Mary Cooper away from Blaine and the table they were currently standing by. “I put up with your shit day in and day out! I put up with you because your husband is one of my biggest clients. I told myself to ignore it because you were just uneducated and didn’t know any better. But you aren’t in grade school. You know exactly what you are doing. So screw you if you think you are better than my family because my son is gay. Screw you for trying to make us your pet project, as if we needed your pity. Blaine isn’t sick! He isn’t _wrong_!”

Blaine jumped as his mother placed a protective arm around both Kurt and him. He could feel her trembling with rage. Blaine could feel Kurt’s eyes on him. Could tell he was worried about him by the way he took his hand in both of his own. But Blaine couldn’t move. He couldn’t look away from his father’s angry face. Hell, Blaine could barely breathe.

“My son is braver than anyone in this room. He’s got an amazing heart and he’s good. There’s not a mean or hurtful bone in his entire body. He’s more talented than any of your kids put together. And in a few years he’s going to be graduating from an ivy league school because he’s that smart.”

By this time Mr. Cooper had made his way over and was pulling his dad away from Mrs. Cooper. By this time the entire room had gone silent and was watching the argument unfold. The Bakers had all made their way over, ready to jump in at any moment. David was standing off to the side, looking from Blaine to his father, as if determining where he would be most helpful. But his dad was oblivious to all of it. He was still ranting at Mrs. Cooper. His face had gone purple at this point from rage.

“Blaine’s going to make something of his life while your children are busy getting high and living off of their trust funds, because you pompous assholes never thought it was important to make your idiotic children ever learn anything.”

“If it wasn’t obvious before, you’re done in this town, William,” Mr. Cooper said, shoving him into a table. The table shook. Glasses were knocked over and plates tumbled to the ground, shattering on contact.

“Fuck you!” his dad screamed. “I want nothing to do with this town anymore.”

“Good!” Mr. Hessler said, storming over to them. “Go take your faggot son to San Fransisco and dance in Gay Pride Parades and dress in drag or whatever it is you queers do, we never want to see you fairy loving freaks again.”

“We should leave,” David said softly. When had he made his way over to them? Blaine had barely noticed…

“I agree,” Kurt said, gently tugging on Blaine’s hand. He shook his head; there was no way he was leaving his dad like this.

“Go with your friends, Blaine,” his mom said. Her voice was dangerously calm.

“We beat the gay outta him before, I’m sure we could do it again,” one of Blaine’s old classmates, Corey Hessler, said to a few of his friends. Blaine turned to look and saw three boys headed his way. His mother pushed him behind her as Kurt and David, both wearing murderous expressions, stood ready to punch the first boy that tried to come at Blaine.

And really, how sad was that. All these people standing up for him and he was stuck frozen in shock unable to do anything. All this hate directed at him.

“You’re the bastards that beat up Aaron and Blaine?” Mr. Baker asked, stepping in front of Kurt and David and throwing a punch at Corey Hessler before anyone could stop him.

“Oh, my god,” Blaine said, tears swimming in his eyes.

“Dad!” Lexi screamed as Mr. Hessler, Corey, and Mr. Cooper lunged at him. In seconds there were punches and kicks being thrown every which way.

Two hours ago, had you told Blaine that his father would be beating up a high school student over him, he would never have believed it. Hell, he still didn’t believe it.

“If you ever fucking touch my son again you sick fuck I’m going to make sure you never play football again. You so much as look at him or his boyfriend, I’ll have you—”

“William!” Mrs. Anderson yelled, trying to pull her husband off of Dylan Cooper.

By this point, pretty much everyone was in tears. Blaine was crying into Kurt’s shoulder. Lexi was crying and screaming as David tried to hold her back from jumping into the fight. Mrs. Cooper was crying over her ruined party…

This was the last thing Blaine had ever expected from the night. He had prepared to be verbally harassed by his old classmates. He had prepared for the fake niceties from the women that ran this event. But physical violence in the middle of one of the most prestigious event locations in Columbus? That one had come as a shock. He had no idea how to handle this one.

“Your dad is going to get blood on his Marc Jacobs coat,” Kurt said, shocked, clearly unable to form any coherent or appropriate thought.

“You two need to go,” Mrs. O’Malley whispered into their ears.

“I’m not leaving,” Blaine said.

“You’re going to get hurt if you stay,” she said, pulling them towards the door. “Security is already breaking up the fight; your parents will be fine. Leave before these bigots decide to make good on their threats.”

“David,” Kurt called out. “Let’s go.”

****

“I cannot believe that just happened,” David said, as they all sat around a table at Starbucks several blocks away. None of them had moved to order any coffee, still too shocked over the evening’s events for normal thoughts… like coffee.

“It was all very O.C.,” Kurt said, rubbing soothing circles over Blaine’s back. “Except without Ryan Atwood to watch and make the entire thing enjoyable.”

Blaine gave a shaky laugh at Kurt’s joke. His boyfriend was clearly uncomfortable. He had been for most of the night. But he had come regardless, knowing Blaine needed him to be the strong one. Blaine always needed Kurt to be the strong one.

He wanted to feel bad about making Kurt deal with all of this. Wanted to apologize for putting him in potential danger. But he couldn’t make his mouth form the words.

“We should probably call our parents,” Lexi said in a quiet voice.

“I already texted your mom to tell her we were safe,” David said. She sent him a grateful smile.

“My dad called Mrs. Cooper a simple-minded, small town bigot,” Blaine said, his voice sounding foreign to his own ears.

“I know,” Kurt said. “I simultaneously fell in love with and became legitimately terrified of your dad in that moment.”

“This is our fault,” Lexi said, dropping her head onto the table.

“Hey, none of you did anything but be exactly who you are,” David said.

“I’m too drunk to process any of this right now,” she mumbled. “Will you take me home?”

“Of course,” David said, standing up. “Do you two need a ride?”

“I’ve got my car,” Kurt said, waving at them as they left.

The two of them sat in silence for a long time. At some point, Kurt had gotten them both coffees. He had even bought Blaine a lemon square, all without a single lecture on teenage obesity rates or the dangers of high fructose corn syrup.

“My dad got in a fight,” he said, finally. After finishing his lemon square and two medium drips, he felt able to talk. He was still trying to piece the evening together in a way that made sense. He wasn’t very successful.

“He got in a fight with people that put you in the hospital,” Kurt said. “Let’s have some perspective.”

“I’m sorry,” Blaine said, suddenly. Because that was what he was supposed to say, wasn’t it? That’s what Kurt had said to him after taking him to Prom. That was the right thing to do…

Why wasn’t Blaine better at this?

“Hey, no, stop,” Kurt said, placing his hand over Blaine’s. It wasn’t until Kurt trapped his hand between the table and his own that he realized he had been shaking. “Let’s look at the bright side.”

“There’s a bright side?” Blaine said, skeptical.

“Your dad called you the bravest person in the room; maybe he doesn’t think you’re a girl after all?” Kurt smiled.

“Standing there while everyone fought over me wasn’t very manly. Or brave.”

“Maybe bravery doesn’t have to be screaming matches and fist fights.”

Blaine looked at Kurt, curiously.

“Maybe bravery is standing in a room full of people that hate you and not letting it change who you are. Maybe it’s going up on stage and singing a song that you know will upset people, but doing it anyway because it’s a message that needs to be heard. You have the ability to change things just by being who you are, Blaine—your amazing, awesome self. You can change these people’s minds.”

“I highly doubt any of those people are going to be marching in Pride parades after tonight,” Blaine said with a snort.

“You don’t know that,” Kurt said, reaching over and pulling Blaine’s chair closer to his own. “You didn’t think your dad would ever accept you. Accept us. We never thought Karofsky would ever come around. Change takes time, Blaine. Martin Luther King didn’t get rid of segregation with one speech. We’re going to make a difference. One day we will walk down the street holding hands and nobody will give us a second look. It’s not going to be tomorrow, it probably won’t be for years, but one day… Gay _will be_ okay.”

Blaine smiled at him and pulled him in for a kiss. Careful to keep it quick in case anyone was watching them too closely. They didn’t need another fight tonight.

“Did you just insinuate that we’ll still be together in several years?” Blaine asked, shyly.

“Noticed that, did you?” Kurt smirked.

“At the risk of sounding redundant… You move me, Kurt,” Blaine said.

“Awe, babe. I love you, too,” Kurt said with a big smile.

Because that was really what Blaine had meant, wasn’t it? That had been the overwhelming emotion that he had been unable to explain before, except to say “you move me” and “Oh! There you are.” That was the feeling that had filled him so completely the moment he had heard Kurt sing ‘Blackbird’ the first time. The feeling he had gotten so many times since then.

Those times when he would look at Kurt and words became meaningless because nothing could possibly explain the depths of his emotions… except Kurt knew the word. Kurt understood the emotions. It was love. He was in love with Kurt Hummel. And for some unknown reason, Kurt was in love with him, too.


End file.
